Improvement in electric conducting cordage



T. L. REED.

Electric Conducting Cordage. N0.15l,157. PatentedmylsJsm.

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rIHOMAS L. REED, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONF- IIALF IHS RIGHT TO EUGENE F. PHILLIPS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC CONDUCTING CORDAGE.

Sgecilication l'orxning part of Letters Patent No. 151,157, dated May 19, 12574.: application tiled December 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnoinis L. REED, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new an d use'lul Improvements in Electric Oordage and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, trueand accurate description thereof.

My improvements relate to th at general class ot electric cordage which is employed in connection with switclrboards of electro-magnetic telegraphic apparatus, but more particularly to such as is used in connection with electro magnetic therapeutic apparatus. My invenn tion consists in combining a metallic conducting-wire, which is closely coiled spirally with an insulating covering or jacket ot' fibrous or textile materia-l, which is sufficiently nonelastic to admit ot' the undue extension of the coiled wire and, also, in the combination therewith, of a solid'terminal tip for operative connection with the electrical apparatus with which it is to be employed. The object ot' my invention is to produce insulated electric cordage, which, while possessing the requisite conducting powers, will be .capable of being roughly handled, and bent or coiled in the smallest possible space without undue liability of injury thereto, and which will readily reassume its original or normal condition after having been bent or coiled, and also to so combine the terminal tips therewith that all longitudinal strain on the cordage, when connected with its apparatus, will be borne by the ente rior insulating-jacket, and thereby practically prevent the coiled conductor from being unduly vxtended.

`Referring to the drawing, Figure l represents a piece of my improved electric cordage with its terminal tips. Fig. 2 represents a short length of the cordage with the coiled conductor exposed with a terminal tip connected therewith. Fig. 3 represents a short piece ot' switchboard cordage, in which several sepa.

rate conductors are embodied. Fig. 1I repre sents a portion of the compound coil within the cordage, shown in Fig. 3. 5 shows a rlhe electric cordage represented in Figs. l and 2 is particularly intended for therapeutic apparatus. The conductor A is preferably to be a copper wire of suita-ble size and closely coiled. If after being coiled it shouldbe found to be objectionably hard it should be fully softened by annealing. The insulating-jacket B is braided or woven in well-known machines adapted to the purpose, and may be composed of silken threads closely laid, which affords a neat appearance, and is a good insulating medium. In braiding care should be taken not to unduly extend the coil, and also to lay the braid as closely thereon as may be practicable. The terminal tips 4C can be economically made of solid wire, having a diameter equal to the interior ot' the coiled conductor, and a single eye forming a shoulder, as at a, by means otl a simple flat coil in the wire, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Another form is shown in Fig. 5. However formed, the neck b is in-y serted into the interior of the coil up to the shoulder, and it is so curved as to prevent any square'bend ot' the coil at the end of the tip. With the tips shown in Figs. l and 2, the end of the coiled wire is extended spirally around the tip at the eye a, as shown, whereby a com plete electric connection therewith is attained. rIhe jacket is tirmly secured at the end to the tip independently of the coiled conductor, so that any undue longitudinal strain on the cord will be wholly borne by the jacket and the tip. Ihen connected with the tip shown in Fig. 5, the coil is entered by the neck b, and an eXtc rior screwthread at the base of the neck enters and engages with the coils of the wire, the end of which is passed through a hole in the tip and completely secured by a few additional coils on the shank. The jacket is then pressed over the corrugated neck of the tip, and se= cnrely tied thereto by silken threads. Incach of these instances shown, the longitudinal strain on the cord is wholly borne by the jacket, and hence the inclosed coil cannot by any possible means become unduly extended or injured.

The switchboard cordage, represented in Figs. 3 and 4, is made in the same manner, ala though preferably with somewhat heavier wire, and, being` subjected to a different usage, will preferably be insulated with a cotton or linen jacket, and the finishing and insulating material described in Letters Patent issued to me on the 18th day of November, i873.

It is frequently desirable that switch-board electric cordage should contain several different conducting ivires. rIhis article ivill be niade by massing side by side the several Wires which have previously been insulated by suitable jacketings.

In order to readily recognize the respective ends of each ivire Without the necessity of testing, jackets ivith a distinctive color u'ill be employed on each Wire. The projecting insulated ends of these Wires are knotted together, and the exterior jacket, which is common to them all, is draivn ti'ghtly over the knot, and the several threads united by transverse ties, so that, as described in connection ivith the tips, all longitudinal strain will be borne by thejacket. In the therapeutic cordage, ivith the single uninsulated ivire in coil, a continu ons connection ivill be afforded from coil to coil, at all points ivhere they are in close contact.

In referring to the jacket as being` practically iion-elastic, I do not wish it to be under stood that a braided tubular fabric will not stretch ivhen strained, but that when closely surrounding" the coil, Which prevents its collapsing, it is practically non-extensible by reason ofthe interior support received trom the coil, and that by being slightly stretched it will closely embrace the coil, and be thereby prevented from undue objectionable extension.

I am Well aware that heavy submarine telegraphie cables have been made ivith interior coils ot' round and iiattened metallic conduc tors, both with and Without a core; but such an article is wholly untit for use as electric cordage, and has never to my knowledge been incased in a tubular braided or ivoven jacket. I ani also vvell aware that electric cordagehas heretofore been made by iiiclosing a number ot' line electric uninsulated conductors in mass With a braided or Woven j acket; but such cordage, when bent, cannot reassuiiie its straight condition, and from frequent bendings the strands of wire become broken, as by such frequent direct bending the metal becomes hardened and brittle. I am also still further aware that electric cordage has also been made by Winding the metallic conductor around a central corded core in an extended or open spiral line, and covering the saine with strands of fibrous matter laid longitudinally, and securely bound by exterior strands laid spirally, and also that cord and ivire of that character have been incased in a braided jacket. I therefore dis claim all cordage so constructed; but

Having described my invention, I claim as new, to be secured by Letters Patent- I. Electric cordage for switch-boards, and electrical therapeutic apparatus composed ot' a metallic conductor closely coiled with a tubular interior, and embraced or inclosed in and by an insulating -jacket ot braided or ivoven fibrous niz'iterial, substantially as described.

2. he combination, ivith a spirally'coiled metallic conductor, ot' a terminal tip, which is provided with a neck for entering the tubular interior ot' the coil and a shoulder ior connection therewith, substantially as described.

THOMAS L. lilll). llitnesses:

CHARLES Siiiiiinx, Joni: C. Punitis. 

